Gearbox drive unit with an inclined stop surface

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a gear drive unit ( 10 ), in particular to adjust moveable parts in a motor vehicle, with a gear housing ( 15 ) and a shaft ( 18 ) positioned therein along a longitudinal axis ( 30 ), which shaft is supported on the housing ( 15 ) via an axial stopping face ( 35 ) on a counter stopping face ( 36 ), wherein at least one of the stopping faces ( 35, 36 ) is inclined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ( 30 ) against a plane ( 42 ) by an angle of inclination ( 40 ) in order to generate an axial force, and a component ( 44 ), which cooperates with at least one of the stopping faces ( 35, 36 ), is arranged in a displaceable manner perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ( 30 ). In doing so, the coefficient of friction between the at least one stopping face ( 35, 36 ) and the component ( 44 ) is greater than the tangent of the angle of inclination ( 40 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention starts with a gear drive unite, in particular foradjusting moveable parts in a motor vehicle.

A drive device for a windshield wiper system of a motor vehicle, whichfeatures a housing and an armature shaft positioned rotatably thereinthat has a worm, became known with DE 198 545 35 A1. Using an axialforce generating device, a wedge slider is hereby displaced radially tothe armature shaft in order to equalize the axial play of the armatureshaft. The displacement force of the wedge slider is applied via apre-stressed spring element, which presses the wedge slider radiallyagainst a limit stop of the armature shaft, thereby displacing the shaftaxially until the axial play is equalized. On the other hand, with agreat load to the armature shaft via a driven gear, an axial forceoccurs, which presses the armature shaft against the wedge slider and indoing so the wedge slider is pressed back radially away from thearmature shaft against the spring element. This type of great permanentload on the spring element leads to a situation where its service lifeor its elastic properties are diminished and therefore the axial play ofthe armature shaft is no longer equalized so that it moves back andforth axially under load, which can produce unpleasant clicking noises.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The gear drive unit in accordance with the invention has the advantagethat an axial force generating device is arranged in such a way that itscoefficient of friction prevents a component that equalizes the axialplay from receding radially. To do this, the geometry, the surfaces andthe materials for the axial force generating device are selected in sucha way that the coefficient of friction between a stopping face inclinedby an angle of inclination against the perpendicular of the shaft andthe surface of the component is greater than the tangent of the angle ofinclination. In doing so, the component is displaced radially to theshaft as soon as the shaft has longitudinal play. Pushing back thecomponent is prevented, however, by the frictional condition. As aresult, an elastic element, which is used to displace the component,does not have to absorb any high restoring forces, which are initiatedvia the shaft on the component. Therefore, the elasticity of the elasticelement is retained over its entire service life, thereby reliablyeliminating the longitudinal play of the shaft over the entire servicelife.

In addition, the shaft longitudinal play is hereby eliminated withoutthis longitudinal play having to be measured beforehand during theassembly of the device in order to equalize it, e.g., by means ofselectively mounted equalizing plates. As a result, the number ofstations on the assembly line is reduced and the assembly device issimplified. The axial force generating device can be manufactured usingmodular principles so that it is compatible with many different driveunits.

Advantageous developments of the device are possible. Thus, thecoefficient of friction between the surface of the component and theinclined stopping face is increased in an especially favorable way byforming a profile on one of the two friction surfaces. If, for example,a saw-tooth-like profile is formed on at least one of the surfaces, thecomponent can be moved radially towards the shaft with less force, butcan only be moved back radially again with a considerably higherexpenditure of force. As a result, this type of structured surface leadsto the elastic element for displacing the component not beingexcessively stressed. Therefore, the elastic element can be displacedback radially over the entire service life of the device in order toeliminate the axial play that is occurring. Because of forming such aprofile on the friction surface between the component and the stoppingface, the angle of inclination of the stopping face can be selected tobe greater, thereby making greater travel available to equalize theshaft longitudinal play. In a preferred embodiment, one of the twostopping faces or the component can feature a stair-step-like surface,in which the “stepping surfaces” are aligned to be approximatelyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. As a result, arestoring force of the component radially away from the shaft ispractically completely prevented with the effect of a axial force fromthe shaft. This produces a situation where no shaft longitudinal play ispermitted even in the case of extreme loads on the shaft.

If the inclined surface forms a cone so that a truncated cone surfacearea is produced, the shaft is supported on a radially symmetricalsurface, whereby the shaft remains very precisely centered radiallysymmetrically even under load. The purpose of the cone-shaped surface isso that at least one component can be displaced simultaneously from allsides uniformly towards the shaft axis.

It is particularly favorable if one of the stopping faces is embodied asone part together with the component. As a result, no additionalstopping elements are required, thereby reducing assembly expenses.

If the component features a U-shaped design, then the component can beused in an especially favorable way also for a plunging-through shaft.In this case, the component is not arranged on the front side of ashaft, but surrounds the shaft and is supported, e.g., on a collar thatis manufactured on it. This type of U-shaped component is alsoadvantageous for the application of a shaft, which is supported with astopping sleeve, because the U-shaped component surrounds the stoppingsleeve in order to reduce the structural length of the drive.

In a preferred embodiment, the component is embodied to be annular andradially elastically tensile. As a result, this component slides on thebasis of its pre-stress into the gap between the two stopping faces sothat no additional elastic element, which acts on the component with adisplacement force, is required. If such a component that is embodied asan elastic ring element is coupled with a stair-step-shaped stoppingface, which is embodied as a cone, then the spring ring contracts inorder to again equalize the increased axial play from the signs of wear.In the process, it is not necessary for the elastic ring element to besupported on the housing.

In order to reduce the structural length of the gear drive unit, thecomponent can feature two separate wedge surfaces, which are connectedto one another via a surface that is arranged perpendicular to the axisof the shaft. In doing so, the wedge-shaped component can be displacedback radially against the shaft over the course of time, whereby thestructural height of the overall drive device is reduced by reducing theoverall height of the component. In the process, the axial forces of theshaft are favorably absorbed very uniformly over a large diameter of thestopping face.

The axial force generating device in accordance with the invention canbe arranged on both the front side or on a collar of the shaft, therebyguaranteeing a high variance for different designs of the gear driveunit.

If the shaft features a worm toothing, which meshes with a worm wheelfor example, very high axial shaft forces occur, if for example amoveable part is moved against a limit stop. In just the same way, inthe case of a spindle drive with thread toothing on the shaft, strongaxial forces occur when accelerating or decelerating the moveable parts.The dynamic axial play that occurs in the process is equalized reliablyand on a long-term basis via the device in accordance with theinvention.

It is advantageous if the component is constantly guided back by adisplacement force, which is applied by a pre-stressed elastic element.The stored energy of the spring element leads to a situation where sucha self-adjusting axial play equalization presses the component withadequate force against the shaft over the entire service life of thegear drive.

It is especially favorable for assembly if the pre-mounted elasticelement is pre-stressed directly with the fastening of the covering ofthe gear housing. Because of the radial assembly of the elastic element,no other auxiliary tools are required for this.

Even more favorable from a procedural point of view is if the elasticelement is designed either as an integral part of the covering of thegear housing or the component since the elastic element is therebydirectly positioned during assembly of the component or the gear housingcovering and assembly is simplified by the reduction in the [number of]components.

If the component is embodied as one piece with the elastic element, itcan be formed of a leaf spring for example. So that the wedge-shapedembodied leaf spring can absorb greater axial forces on their foreparts, it is embodied to be wavy in the area of the acting axial forcefor stability reasons. The free ends of the leaf spring simultaneouslysupport the component in the process against the gear housing in orderto guide the component back perpendicularly towards the shaftlongitudinal axis. In this case, the component can be manufacturedtogether with the elastic element very cost-effectively as a bent punchpart.

The angle of inclination of the stopping face can be enlarged by asaw-tooth profile, thereby making greater travel available to equalizethe shaft longitudinal play.

The drawings depict exemplary embodiments of a device in accordance withthe invention and they are explained in greater detail in the followingdescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings show:

FIG. 1 A section of an exemplary embodiment of a gear drive unit.

FIG. 2 A schematic representation of the forces occurring in accordancewith FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 An enlarged section of another exemplary embodiment in accordancewith FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 Another exemplary embodiment during assembly of the component.

FIG. 5 a A side view of the component from FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 b A top view of the component from FIG. 5 a.

FIG. 6 a A side view of another component.

FIG. 6 b A top view of the component in FIG. 6 a.

FIG. 7 Another exemplary embodiment of an immersion spindle drive.

FIG. 8 The assembly of the component in accordance with FIG. 7 is shownin cross-section.

FIG. 9 a A side view of another component in accordance with FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 b A top view of the component in accordance with FIG. 9 a.

FIG. 10 a A section of a gear drive unit with a stopping sleeve.

FIG. 10 b A section of a gear drive unit with a stopping sleeve.

FIG. 10 c A section of a gear drive unit with a stopping sleeve.

FIG. 11 A section of another exemplary embodiment with astair-step-shaped cone as a stopping face.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 shows a section of a geardrive unit 10 in accordance with the invention in which an electricmotor 12 (not shown in greater detail) drives via a worm gear 14 a shaft18 embodied as a spindle 16, which projects out of the gear housing 15of the worm gear 14. A worm wheel 20 featuring a collar 22 is formed onthe shaft 18. This collar 22 forms a first stopping face 24, which issupported on a counter stopping face 26 of a stopping plate 28, which isadjacent to the gear housing 15. The shaft 18 that is positioned along alongitudinal axis 30 is supported with a fore part 32 on anotherstopping element 34 on the front side, which features a stopping face 35on the side facing away from the fore part 32. Embodied on the gearhousing 15 is another stopping face 36, which is inclined by an angle ofinclination 40 against a plane 42 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis30. Arranged between the diagonal stopping face 36 and the stopping face35 of the stopping plate 34 on the front side is a component 44, whichcan be displaced perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 30 to eliminatethe shaft longitudinal play. The component 44 is embodied to bewedge-shaped in the exemplary embodiment so that the wedge anglecorresponds to the angle of inclination 40 of the inclined stopping face36. An elastic element 48 is arranged between the component 44 and ahousing part 46 and the elastic element presses the component 44radially into the gap 64 against the longitudinal axis 30.

The operating principle of this axial force generating device isdepicted schematically in FIG. 2. The stopping element 34 in this caseis embodied as one piece with the component 44 so that the stopping face35 is formed directly by the fore part 32 of the shaft 18. When theshaft 18 is under load, an axial force 50 acts along the longitudinalaxis 30 on the component 44, which passes on this axial force 50 to thestopping face 36. Resulting on the inclined stopping face 36 from theaxial force 50 are a normal force 52 perpendicular to the stopping face36 and a downhill slope force 54 parallel to the stopping face 36, whichpushes back the wedge-shaped component 44 against the elastic element 48from the gap 64 between the shaft 18 and the stopping face 36. Africtional force 56, which is generated when displacing the component 44against the stopping face 36, acts against the downhill slope force 54.In order to prevent the axial force 50 from pushing the component 44back against a displacement force 58 applied by the elastic element 48in the case of a strong axial load of the shaft, according to theinvention, the frictional force 56 is greater than the maximum occurringdownhill slope force 54 in the case of maximum axial load of the shaft18. This results mathematically in the tangent of the angle ofinclination 40 being less than the coefficient of friction, whichcorresponds to the frictional force 56. The coefficient of friction inthis case is essentially determined by the selection of material and thesurface quality of the surfaces that can be displaced against eachother.

FIG. 3 depicts a component 44, in which the coefficient of friction isincreased via a saw-tooth profile 60 on a friction surface 62 betweenthe component 44 and the diagonal stopping face 36. In this case, thesaw-tooth-like profile 60 is formed on the component, but can just aswell be arranged on the diagonal stopping face 36 of the housing 15 oron the stopping face 35. The saw-tooth profile 60 is formed in such away that the wedge-shaped component 44 can be displaced perpendicularlytoward the shaft 18 with less displacement force 58 of the elasticelement 48 than [when] this is pressed back via the downhill slope force54. If the axial play increases again, e.g., due to wear of the stoppingplate 34, the component 44 is pushed further into the gap 64 between thestopping face 35 of the stopping plate 34 and the diagonal stopping face36 of the housing 15 due to the elastic force 58 with which the elasticelement 48 is supported against the housing part 46.

FIG. 4 shows another exemplary embodiment in a representation inaccordance with Section IV-IV in FIG. 3. The component 44 is embodied tobe U-shaped, whereby in this case both legs are arranged against thefore part 32 of the shaft 18. The elastic element 48 is embodied to beone piece as an integral part of the component 44, whereby the one-piececomponent 44 is punched out of a steel sheet for example. Duringassembly, the component 44 is inserted into the gap 64 between thestopping plate 34 and the inclined stopping face 36 and the elasticelements 48 are pre-stressed with the fastening of a covering 66 of thehousing 15. The right half of the illustration shows the device 10before assembly of the covering 66 and the left half of the illustrationshows it after the covering 66 has been assembled. In doing so, thecomponent 44 is pressed radially towards the shaft 18 with the force 58of the elastic element 48. For further equalization of the longitudinalplay, the component 44 has a free displacement path 68 at its disposalvia which the component 44 can be subsequently displaced.

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b depict the component 44 from FIG. 4 again in a sideview and a top view. The friction surface 62 of the component 44 isarranged against the plane 42 by the same angle of inclination 40 as thecorresponding stopping face 36 of the housing 15. The angle ofinclination 40 and the overall length of the component 44 define amaximum travel 70 by which the shaft longitudinal play can be equalizedat a maximum. FIG. 5 b depicts a maximum spring range 72 by which theelastic element 48 can be pre-stressed via the housing part 46 duringassembly. This range 72 results in the force 58 with which the elasticelement 48 presses the component 44 into the gap 64.

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b depict a variation of the component 44 from FIGS. 5 aand 5 b, whereby a saw-tooth profile 60 is formed on the frictionsurface 62 of the wedge-shaped component 44 in this case. The U-shapedcomponent 44 is embodied in this case to be wavy, as shown in FIG. 6 b,in order to be able to absorb greater axial forces 50. The maximumspring range 72 of the elastic element 48 is greater in this examplewhereby the component 44 is pressed against the longitudinal axis 30with greater force 58.

FIG. 7 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a gear drive unit 10namely a plunging-through spindle motor, whose shaft 18 cannot besupported on its fore parts 32 on the end of the shaft 18. In this case,an electric motor 12 drives a worm wheel 20 via a worm of the armatureshaft and the worm wheel is positioned rotationally secured on the shaft18. Since the shaft 18 that is formed as a spindle 16 projects out ofthe gear housing 15 on both sides of the worm wheel 20, the shaft 18 ispositioned axially via two annular stopping faces 24.

This is depicted in a section through the gear housing 15 in FIG. 8. Theworm wheel 20 of the shaft 18 has a collar 22 on the one side, whichforms a stopping face 24, which is adjacent with the stopping face 26 ofa stopping plate 28, which is supported in turn on the gear housing 15.On the axially opposite side of the worm wheel 20 it also has a collar23, which the shaft 18 also uses to support itself on a stopping plate34 on this side. A stopping face 36 that is inclined against the plane42 by the angle of inclination 40 and through which the shaft 18penetrates is formed in this exemplary embodiment for equalizing theaxial play. In this case, a wedge-shaped component 44 is insertedperpendicular to the shaft 18 between the stopping face 35 of thestopping plate 34 and the inclined stopping face 36 of the gear housing15 in order to equalize the axial play between the shaft 18 and thehousing 15 that is caused by manufacturing and operation. The component44 has a wedge angle 40, which corresponds to the angle of inclination40 of the inclined stopping face 36. Sharp edges 61 are formed on thefriction surface 62 towards the stopping face 36 and these sharp edgescorrespond to a saw-tooth profile 60. The component 44 is pressed intothe gap 64 between the stopping plate 34 and the stopping face 36 with aforce 58, which is generated by the pre-stressed elastic element 48. Inthis case, the element 44 cannot be embodied to be flat, as is possiblewith a support of the shaft 18 via its fore parts 32, but the component44 is embodied to be U-shaped or arched in order to surround the shaft18.

One variation of the U-shaped component 44 is depicted in FIG. 9 a andFIG. 9 b in a side view and a top view. The friction surface 62, whichis embodied in this case a smooth surface 63, is subdivided into twooffset regions in the side view, which are connected via a surface 76,which runs parallel to plane 42. With this embodiment the correspondingstopping face 36 has a correspondingly stepped wedge profile. In thisconnection the structural height 78 of the component 44 can be reducedwithout the angle of inclination 40 being reduced as a result. FIG. 9 bshows the component 44 in the top view with the partial frictionsurfaces 62 and the intermediate surfaces 76, which run parallel to theplane 42. The housing 15 (or alternatively also the approximatelyquadratic stopping plate 34) must have a correspondingly inclinedstopping face 36 in the area of the U-shaped, formed friction surface62. It is essential that one of the two stopping faces 35 or 36 isinclined in accordance with the wedge angle 40 of the component. In onevariation, the component is embodied as a two-sided wedge and the twostopping faces 35, 36 are each inclined by the one angle portion.

FIGS. 10 a through 10 c depict another exemplary embodiment in which ashaft 18 is positioned axially on its fore part 32 in a stopping sleeve80. An annular stopping face 35 is again formed on the stopping sleeve80, and the stopping face is adjacent to the arched embodied component44 that surrounds the stopping sleeve 80. The component 44 supportsitself on the other hand via the friction surface 62 on the stoppingface 36 that is inclined by the angle of inclination 40.

The component 44 is again embodied to be one piece with the elasticelement 48, which supports itself on a covering 66 of the gear housing15. The one-piece component 44 is manufactured as a leaf spring 45similar to in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b, whereby this leaf spring is embodied tobe wedge-shaped particularly in the areas 84 in the insertion direction.The component 44 has a displacement path 68 at its disposal forequalizing the longitudinal play occurring during the operating time viawhich the component can be subsequently pushed into the gap 64 via theelastic force 58 of the elastic component 48.

FIG. 11 shows another exemplary embodiment, in which the inclinedstopping face 36 is embodied as a cone 90. The shaft 18 features acollar 23, which is adjacent to an annular stopping plate 34. In thiscase, the inclined stopping face 36 is not embodied as a flat plane, butradially symmetrical as a truncated cone surface area 90, which formsthe angle of inclination 40 with the plane 42. The shaft 18 penetratesthe stopping face 36 in the center of this cone 90 so that thisexemplary embodiment is also suitable for a plunging-through spindle 16.The cone-shaped stopping face 36 features a stair-step-like profile 91in this case so that the individual ring surfaces 92 run approximatelyparallel to the plane 42. An elastic ring element 94, via which theshaft 18 is supported on the housing 15, is arranged as a component 44between the stopping face 35 of the stopping plate 34 and the conicalstopping face 36. The elastic ring element 94 is comprised, e.g., of aput-together spiral spring 96, which is mounted under pre-stress in aresting position 98 in the gear housing 15. The annular spring 96tensions as soon as it is shifted out of its resting position 98 intothe gap 64 between the two stopping faces 36 and 35 and contracts somuch until the axial play is equalized. If the axial play increases,e.g., due to wear, the spiral spring 96 can contract further radially inthe gap 64. When the shaft 18 exerts an axial force 50 on the component44, the formed-on, annular steps 92 prevent the component from beingforced back out of the gap 64 radially away from the longitudinal axis30 since no downhill slope force 54 results because of the parallelalignment of the ring surfaces 92 to the stopping plate 34. In thisconnection, the frictional condition that the coefficient of friction issupposed to be greater than the tangent of the angle of inclination 40of the conical surface 36 is guaranteed by the step-shaped profile. Inan alternative embodiment, the stopping face 36 that is embodied as acone 90 features a smooth surface 63, and the component 44 ismanufactured at least on its surface of a material that yields a highcoefficient of friction in connection the surface of the cone 90. In thecase of the embodiment according to FIG. 11, no separate elastic element48, which is supported on a housing part 46, is required either, butbecause of the elastic design of the component 44 as an annular spring96, the displacement force 58 is applied via the radial pre-stress ofthe elastic ring element 94.

In another variation of this exemplary embodiment, instead of theelastic ring element 94, several wedge-shaped components 44 are situatedin the gap 64 between the step-shaped cone 90 and the stopping face 35of the stopping plate 34. In this case, it is preferred that thecomponents 44 be embodied as circular ring segments, whose frictionsurface 62 also features step-shaped ring surface segments, which runapproximately parallel to the ring surfaces 92 of the cone or to theplane 42. These components are pressed into the gap 64 by means ofelastic elements 48, which are supported for example either on the gearhousing 15. Alternatively, one annular spring 96 is arranged around thecomponents 44 on their radial outer surfaces, and the annular springexerts a radial displacement force 58 on the wedge-shaped, steppedcomponents 44 during contraction.

The axial force generating device in accordance with the invention isused preferably with plunge-through spindle drives, but it can also beused for supporting armature shafts with any drive elements or otherdrive components. In addition, the invention also includes individualfeatures of the exemplary embodiments or any given combination of thefeatures of different exemplary embodiments.

1. Gear drive unit, to adjust moveable parts in a motor vehicle,comprising a gear housing and a shaft positioned therein along alongitudinal axis, the shaft being supported in the housing via an axialstopping face and a counter stopping face, wherein at least one of thestopping faces is inclined in respect to a plane surface that isperpendicular to the longitudinal axis by an angle of inclination inorder to generate an axial force, wherein a component, which cooperateswith at least one of the stopping faces, is displaceable perpendicularto the longitudinal axis by means of an elastic element that is a bentpunched part of the component, such that the component and the elementare monolithic, and the component is wedge-shaped and causes the elasticelement to displace in a radial direction with respect to the shaftthereby maintaining an axial force to eliminate shaft longitudinal play.2. Gear drive unit according to claim 1, characterized in that at leastone of the stopping faces or the component features a saw-tooth profile.3. Gear drive unit according to claim 1, characterized in that at leastone of the stopping faces or the component features a stair-stepprofile.
 4. Gear drive unit according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe component is one piece with the at least one stopping face, as astopping element.
 5. Gear drive unit according to claim 1, characterizedin that the component is U-shaped, and surrounds the shaft or a stoppingsleeve of the shaft.
 6. Gear drive unit according to claim 1,characterized in that the component is a 2-step wedge.
 7. Gear driveunit according to claim 1, characterized in that the shaft features afore part and/or at least one collar, with which the shaft is supportedon the gearing housing via the component.
 8. Gear drive unit accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the shaft features a worm toothing orthread toothing, and engages in an inside thread of a spindle drivedevice.
 9. Gear drive unit according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe component can be displaced radially to the longitudinal axis bymeans of the pre-stressed elastic element.
 10. Gear drive unit accordingto claim 9, characterized in that the elastic element is supported on acovering of the gear housing.
 11. Gear drive unit according to claim 9,characterized in that the component is formed together with the elasticelement as a wedge-shaped wavy leaf spring.
 12. Gear drive unit toadjust moveable parts in a motor vehicle, comprising a gear housing anda shaft positioned therein along a longitudinal axis, which shaft issupported on the housing via an axial stopping face and a conicalstopping face, wherein at least one of the stopping faces is inclinedperpendicular to the longitudinal axis against a plane by an angle ofinclination in order to generate an axial force, and a component, whichcooperates with at least one of the stopping faces, is arranged in adisplaceable manner perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and thecomponent causes an elastic element to displace in a radial directionthereby maintaining an axial force to equalize shaft longitudinal play,wherein the component can be displaced by an elastic ring element, thering element being formed so that it can be compressed causing it to beexpanded radially, and is arranged between the axial stopping face andthe conical stopping face.
 13. Gear drive unit according to claim 12,characterized in that at least one of the stopping faces is cone-shaped,with annular stair steps.
 14. Gear drive unit according to claim 12,characterized in that at least one of the stopping faces or thecomponent features a surface having a stair-step profile.
 15. Gear driveunit according to claim 12, characterized in that at least one of thestopping faces is cone-shaped, with a surface having annular stairsteps.
 16. Gear drive unit according to claim 12, characterized in thatthe component is one piece with the one stopping face, as a stoppingelement.
 17. Gear drive unit according to claim 12, wherein the shaftfeatures at least one collar, with which the shaft is supported on thegearing housing via the component.
 18. Gear drive unit according toclaim 12, wherein that the shaft features a worm toothing or threadtoothing, and engages in an inside thread of a spindle drive device.